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How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

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Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#21

Post by giantg2 »

levocardia wrote: post #5

I had a teacher in high school who was blinded (I think only in one eye) trying to do this repair. You could not pay me enough money to do this repair. >This work is risky, but the risk is comparable to doing your own car repairs, or climbing on the roof of your house to clean your gutters. Notably, "unintentional fall" is the #1 cause of emergency department visits for adults [1], which is why I'd hire a professiona…

"Notably, "unintentional fall" is the #1 cause of emergency department visits for adults"

Most of these are not from DIY, but age realted

Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#22

Post by ianschmitz »

tmaly wrote: post #7

I have had to replace mine before. I was sitting in the family room. Big slam sound. I go out and check the garage and one of the springs had broke. It is really not a big deal to switch them out.

Oof. Just because you did it yourself does not mean it wasn’t extremely dangerous, or that the average home owner should attempt it. There’s an incredible amount of energy stored in those springs when wound up

Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#24

Post by ianschmitz »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #16

I do not recommend DIYing this work, but I do recommend springing for the high cycle (20k cycles) torsion springs if offered by your installer (TLDR larger wire size and a few inches longer to optimize for longevity). They are a bit more in material cost, but will save you labor costs, which will only go up in the future. Also, depending on your living arrangement and situation, an unexpected spring failure can be an…

I recently had mine serviced and the spring I have is original (~30 years old) and looking a little old. I asked the installer if I should replace it and he said “no. They don’t make them like they used to. They don’t last nearly as long. Wait until this one gives up”

Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#25

Post by suddenclarity »

superkuh wrote: post #2

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Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#26

Post by linsomniac »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #13
levocardia wrote: post #5

I had a teacher in high school who was blinded (I think only in one eye) trying to do this repair. You could not pay me enough money to do this repair. >This work is risky, but the risk is comparable to doing your own car repairs, or climbing on the roof of your house to clean your gutters. Notably, "unintentional fall" is the #1 cause of emergency department visits for adults [1], which is why I'd hire a professiona…

Yeah, I'm a DIY'er and I noped-out of this one too.

Ditto, but after he charged me $550 it and used bars rather than a worm-drive "winder", I'm thinking that next time I'm going to either get a winder and do it myself (parts were sub $100) or at least get 3 quotes. I went with someone a friend liked, so I didn't do any shopping around, mea culpa. But, I guess he had to pay for his brand new F-250 somehow. :-)

I was half expecting him to say I needed other maintenance including new rollers, at which point I was going to call BS, because I replaced those rollers a couple three years ago and I'm about a million uses away from their rated million open/closes. Double sealed ball bearings, ask for them by name.

Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#27

Post by cityofdelusion »

the__alchemist wrote: post #20
levocardia wrote: post #5

I had a teacher in high school who was blinded (I think only in one eye) trying to do this repair. You could not pay me enough money to do this repair. >This work is risky, but the risk is comparable to doing your own car repairs, or climbing on the roof of your house to clean your gutters. Notably, "unintentional fall" is the #1 cause of emergency department visits for adults [1], which is why I'd hire a professiona…

Thank you. I agree on all examples. Absolutely not worth the risk. Not even close. I wince thinking about when I changed my own oil in my 20s... Potentially throwing away so many good years, for so little gain. The car danger can be mitigated if the work is done under a professional lift.

There is pretty much zero risk if the car is either jacked correctly or put on ramps correctly. Dummies that rely on a single 1.5mm o-ring not blowing out on their hydraulic floor jacks are gambling with their life. Always operate on flat terrain, always chock the wheels, always use the parking brake, always use jack stands, always verify no movement in the vehicle by rocking it, never rely on the floor jack.

Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#28

Post by rpmisms »

cityofdelusion wrote: post #27
the__alchemist wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you. I agree on all examples. Absolutely not worth the risk. Not even close. I wince thinking about when I changed my own oil in my 20s... Potentially throwing away so many good years, for so little gain. The car danger can be mitigated if the work is done under a professional lift.

There is pretty much zero risk if the car is either jacked correctly or put on ramps correctly. Dummies that rely on a single 1.5mm o-ring not blowing out on their hydraulic floor jacks are gambling with their life. Always operate on flat terrain, always chock the wheels, always use the parking brake, always use jack stands, always verify no movement in the vehicle by rocking it, never rely on the floor jack.

Ramps are very good. I don't know why anyone would use a jack for an oil change...

Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#29

Post by neilv »

> This work is risky, but the risk is comparable to doing your own car repairs, or climbing on the roof of your house to clean your gutters.

I wonder what the net impact of an article like this is:

* How much money is saved by garage door owners?

* How much money is lost by professionals?

* How many people are injured/killed because this article made them think this was doable at acceptable risk, when they otherwise wouldn't have attempted it?

* How many people would've attempted it anyway, and would've been injured, but this article helped them not to be injured?

Modern bonus:

* How many people are injured because a YouTube/TikTok/etc. DIY influencer is informed by this article, makes a YouTube video that muddies the information, and people are inspired by the influencer video to attempt it?

Re: How I replaced deadly garage door torsion springs (2002)

#30

Post by linsomniac »

Nobody seems to mention keeping the springs lubed for longevity. What's the groups thinking on that? I keep a spray bottle of lube by the door and shoot it every few months, which is probably overkill, but it's so easy. Then just wipe off the excess and grime maybe yearly.
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